Easy Ways to Make Over Your Kitchen—No Construction Needed

Chef Graham Elliot shares three ways give your space a whole new feel without lifting a hammer—or breaking the bank.

1. Surround yourself with help.
Love looking at photos of designer kitchens in magazines and on Pinterest? Make them a part of your space: “Set up an inspiration area with books, photos, quotes and a bulletin board,” recommends the Chicago-based chef. “It will get the creative juices flowing.”

2. Buy great essentials.
You can fill your kitchen with any number of crazy gadgets but, really, you only need a few tools to cook like a pro. “Splurge on some key equipment and keep them close at hand,” he says. “My big three are a good pan, a sharp paring knife and a thick wooden cutting board.”

3. Make more space.
Are you constantly shifting things around in the kitchen to give yourself more room? “Plenty of walking space is best for traffic flow, especially in an [area] as busy as the kitchen,” says the MasterChef judge. To make the room appear even airer, clear your rarely-used gadgets off counters and organize your cookbook shelf by color—you’ll be amazed at how much larger the room feels.

Elliot will also be helping out a chef design their dream pop-up restaurant from scratch on a one-hour special Covert Kitchens, Sunday Oct. 20 at 11pm on Spike.